The owner of River’s End Cafe received notice from the city of Seal Beach last week to vacate the building by Feb. 26.

This would have been the restaurant’s 22nd year in Seal Beach.

“The current tenant’s lease agreement expired on April 30, 2017 and the tenant has been on a month-to-month for several months.

“The property was marketed and proposals solicited and the existing tenant was invited to submit a proposal. The proposal that the existing tenant submitted was not the proposal selected for a new lease agreement,” said Assistant City Manager Patrick Gallegos. According to Gallegos, the lease expired on April 30, 2017.

Long Beach businessman Michael Balchin has been paying rent on the building on a month-to-month since then.

“The proposal that the existing tenant submitted was not the proposal selected for a new lease agreement,” Gallegos said.

As for what’s next, city staff has apparently found a new tenant for the building that overlooks the San Gabriel River and stands near the end (or beginning) of the San Gabriel River Bike Trail. “The details of a new lease agreement have been discussed in Closed Session with the City Council,” said Assistant City Manager Gallegos.

“The next step will be to bring the new lease to the City Council for approval,” Gallegos said.